MOF-based sensor platforms for rapid detection of pesticides to maintain food quality and safety

Abstract

Pesticides are primarily used in agriculture to increase crop yield because of their highly lucrative, stable structure and agricultural benefits such as eliminating fungi, plant diseases, pests and insects to regulate the growth of crops. Apart from their rebel design and agricultural benefits, pesticides have severe toxicity to a variety of other living organisms. Therefore, developing effective pesticide detection systems is an ongoing challenge. Multiple technologies that for the rapid, easy, sensitive, and selective detection of these neurotoxic compounds are in demand. This paper reviews the recent advances in sensing assays based on the metal-organic framework (MOF) structure for pesticide detection. We have reviewed state-of-the-art optical biosensors for in-place sensing that have the advantages of a simple protocol, simple manipulation, super sensitivity, wide linear range, and cost-effectiveness. These biosensors use chemiluminescence with a short sensing time and a highly sensitive luminescence sensor that enables real-time detection by easy smartphone pairing. For profitable platforms, the obstacles related to sample preparation and equipment cost can be overcome by employing electrochemical sensors. The intensity, impedance, and potential difference measurement techniques used in these biosensors allow for low detection limits and observable durations in water, agricultural, and food samples containing high levels of pesticides.

Keywords: Electrochemical sensing assays; Metal-organic-framework-based platforms; Optical sensing assays; Pesticides.